To The Traitor in My Bed - Chapter 14
Being expelled from a club was a great dishonor, so this decision was considered very lenient.
However, Whitmore’s openness wasn’t necessarily a good thing for Swinton at this time.
“Havisham moved to Whitmore?”
Captain Cottenham asked the officer. He was receiving a report while inspecting his appearance in the mirror. No one looked as good in the purple uniform of the military like Lysander Cottenham.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Captain Cottenham smiled at the mirror. There was nothing happy or pleasant about that smile. He knew full well the reason why Havisham had moved clubs.
As soon as his younger brother, Jonas, joined Saintree, Havisham had proudly left. This made Jonas, who had been trying to get his foot in the door, find himself in a very difficult position.
Lysander had worked hard to convince all sorts of nobles to get his younger brother in. Dorian Havisham, that traitor.
“So, has there been any contact with Count Darnell at Whitmore?”
“Count Darnell wasn’t expelled, but he’s been avoiding the place for a while.”
“If he had any sense, he would’ve dropped out long ago. That old fool.”
Lysander Cottenham was a staunch royalist, but in truth, he had no interest in political parties or ideological fights. In a monarchy, especially one ruled by a powerful and competent tyrant like Christian, rebelling was the act of fools.
He despised fools.
…And foolish women too.
<Lady Deirdre, the Havisham family’s influence isn’t what it once was. You should be more careful with your flirtations. If that pretty head of yours is not just for decoration, you should know that you should kneel before me and beg for my proposal.>
<If you knew that it was just a decoration, Viscount, you’d probably want to take back that proposal.>
That was the reply Deirdre Havisham had given when Lysander Cottenham had proposed to her.
<Turns out, you’re not just empty-headed, you’re mad. A woman like you has only one duty—using that half-decent face of yours. You should at least make sure your last remaining brother lives well, don’t you think?>
Even with his words, she didn’t flinch.
<Do you think Dorian would live well if I became Deirdre Cottenham? He’d be heartbroken and fall ill from me being married to a rude man like you.>
Her sharp tongue matched her beautiful face.
To keep that sharp tongue from causing more trouble, Lysander decided to kiss her. The moment he tried to force her lips open, she kicked him in the groin without hesitation. She then shoved him aside and ran to grab the rope tied to the bell.
To her surprise, it wasn’t the butler or maid who came running, but the Marquis himself. Deirdre quickly explained.
<Dorian, this man assaulted me.>
Dorian’s face immediately flushed. Lysander Cottenham was known for his aggression, but he wasn’t inconsiderate enough to fight the head of the family just after making a proposal.
<Assault? I was merely exercising my rights as a suitor.>
<Get lost, you worthless piece of sh*t.>
Lysander was quickly expelled from Havisham.
With such a noble family, how could they have such fools in it?
That was Captain Cottenham’s view of the Havisham family.
It wasn’t just Dorian and Deirdre. The eldest son, Daymond Havisham, was an absolute fool beyond imagination. If anything, it could be said that the Havisham family had collapsed because of Daymond’s foolishness.
And surprisingly, the number of ruined noble families in this kingdom wasn’t limited to just Havisham.
“Ian Darnell, what happened to him? Is Darnell’s family being properly monitored?”
“Darnell’s townhouse and the Count’s estate on Upper Island are both under close surveillance. There’s no sign of suspicious visitors or contact. The Count has already disowned his son. But…”
The officer trailed off.
Lysander turned his head to face him.
“But what?”
“It seems that Viscount Darnell has a hidden lover.”
“What? Then, of course, we start by investigating the woman. Why are you only telling me now? Who is she?”
All men, especially those like Lysander, were driven by the brains in their lower body.
After getting out of prison after two years, the first thing he would want to do is find his woman and have his way with her. Daymond Havisham met his end by messing with his lower body.
“Well…”
Lysander stared at the officer, who hesitated before finally speaking.
“She’s… Lady Rosina Campbell, Lord Jonas’ fiance.”
The officer then explained that he had learned Viscount Darnell had frequently visited Landyke before his arrest. The charges had been so clear at the time that no one had paid attention to that particular detail.
Lysander paused for a moment in shock.
He had finally found a suitable wife for his idiotic brother, only for her to have been involved with a traitor two years ago.
Rosina Campbell debuted in Swinton’s society last year. She appeared well-mannered and charming enough. Jonas had even gone into debt with Fairchild to set up a house in the capital to live with that woman.
He chuckled bitterly.
“Is that so? Well, this just got interesting.”
He picked up the holster from the desk. His period of confinement was over. Lysander knew that failing to capture the fugitive would put his carefully built reputation in jeopardy.
“Prepare the horses. I’m going to Landyke.”
Rosina Campbell was likely in Landyke. If Viscount Darnell was found there, the Campbell family would also be implicated in treason.
“But where exactly is Landyke?”
“It’s in the northeastern part of Merilbon County, along the Merilbon River…”
The name ‘Merilbon’ was familiar. Lysander recalled that it flowed right next to Fairchild’s estate, Rochepolie. Come to think of it, Deirdre Fairchild had gone back to Rochepolie.
Lysander spoke with a smirk.
“In that case, I might as well pay my respects to Lady Rochepolie while I’m at it.”
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